The great uniter.
Via Bloomberg:
Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri endorsed the Afghan Taliban guerrillas, a move that may boost the group’s insurgency in Afghanistan after President Barack Obama approved the expansion of the U.S. military’s role in the war-plagued nation.
Al-Zawahiri announced that he would “extend my pledge of allegiance” in a 14-minute online audio recording, Reuters reported on Saturday.
We’re still waiting to receive confirmation from our leadership,” Zabihullah Mujahed, the Taliban’s main spokesman, said by phone. “If confirmed, the endorsement will deliver brightness to our spirits and strengthen our jihad against U.S. invaders.”
The endorsement follows Obama’s approval for U.S. forces to target militant groups including the Taliban in Afghanistan, aiding their Afghan counterparts in training and advising along with joining them on the ground and in the air. Mujahed called the U.S. move a waste of money and lives.